Back in 2024, Harry Brown set out on a transformation with me — from dad bod to Ironman contender. If you missed the full story, you can catch up here.
Fast-forward to early January 2025. After a well-earned break over Christmas, Harry and I sat down on January 3rd in Gail’s, Bracknell (over some overpriced eggs and coffee) to map out the road ahead.
Creating Milestones
Our big goal is Ironman Wales on September 21st, 2025, but we wanted to plot smaller milestones along the way — events that would make training fun, create memories, and give us markers of progress.
Plus, with a long build to Ironman, you want to know you’ve ticked off other achievements along the way… because anything can happen in a year of training.
Well — what started as a simple chat soon snowballed. Before we knew it, we’d pencilled in 16 events for 2025!
So far this year, we’ve ticked off:
✅ Finsbury Park 10k
✅ Wokingham Half Marathon
✅ Hampton Court Half Marathon
✅ Maidenhead Easter 10 Miler
And just yesterday, we conquered the Surrey Hills Classic — a 123 km cycle ride through some of the UK’s most iconic climbs.
The Surrey Hills Classic isn’t just any ride. It weaves through the beautiful, brutal Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, featuring leg-testing ascents like Box Hill and Leith Hill. Box Hill is famous from the London 2012 Olympics road race — a steady 2.5 km climb with iconic switchbacks.
Leith Hill, on the other hand, is the highest point in South East England and delivers a sharper sting in the legs, with gradients that spike above 12% in sections. The course racks up around 1,500–1,800 meters of elevation over 123 km — a serious test of climbing endurance.
Harry handled the ride like a pro. We worked together all day — managing fuel stops, pacing ourselves up the climbs, and dodging the notorious potholes that Surrey is famous for. (Honestly — on one descent, the potholes were so bad we both nearly came off our bikes!)
Events like these aren’t just about physical fitness — they teach you how to handle nutrition, pacing, and mental toughness over long days. All things Harry will need in the tank for Ironman Wales.
What’s Next?
We’re not stopping here. There’s a packed calendar ahead:
– 18th May: Hampshire Hilly Hundred (68 miles)A punchy route with rolling hills to sharpen the legs and test our bike handling on varied terrain.
– 7th June: Eton Dorney Triathlon (Standard Distance)
Harry’s first ever triathlon (and mine actually!) — a great chance to practice swim-bike-run transitions in a race environment.
– 22nd June: Wokingham Bikeathon
A fun community event we’ll ride with our kids to encourage them to get active and enjoy cycling.
– 29th June: Broughton Castle 160 km Sportive
A big day in the saddle with over 2,470 m of climbing — nearly matching the elevation of Ironman Wales’s bike course. A perfect dress rehearsal for long-distance riding and nutrition.
– 20th July: Eastbourne Marathon
A chance to log some serious run miles and test race-day pacing strategies.
– 2nd August: Battersea Park 10k
Fast, flat, and a good opportunity to sharpen running speed.
– 31st August: Brighton 1500m Sea Swim
Some valuable open-water experience ahead of Ironman Wales.
– 19th September: Ironman Wales
The big one — 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike, 42.2 km run.
– 5th October: Battersea Park 10k
Another speed tune-up to keep things sharp post-Ironman.
– 9th November: Dorney 10k
Fast, flat, and familiar ground to keep race rhythm going.
– 14th December: Crystal Palace 10k
Closing the season with one last run before a well-earned Christmas break.
We’re also planning to sprinkle in a few more triathlons at Dorney and will be introducing lake swimming into training over the next few weeks to prep Harry for open water.
We will update again soon
This journey isn’t just about crossing the Ironman finish line. It’s about stacking meaningful experiences, building confidence, and enjoying the ride (and the run, and the swim) along the way.
The Surrey Hills Classic was a big step forward — and we can’t wait for what’s next.
Coach Joseph Webb.
‘The number one rated Personal Trainer In Henley and Oxfordshire’
